OTTAWA, Aug. 4, 2015 /CNW/ - "Canada's housing co-ops are ready to make their voices heard in this election," said Nicholas Gazzard, Executive Director of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, upon hearing the news that the election writ has dropped. "Our members want clear all-party support to keep rent-geared-to-income housing assistance in place for low-income households after federal housing agreements end."

As housing agreements end with federally-funded housing co-ops, more than 20,000 households are losing federal assistance, putting them at risk for economic eviction. In order to maintain the successful co-op model of diversity and inclusiveness, rent-geared-to-income (RGI) subsidies must be maintained for low-income Canadians, including seniors, new Canadians, aboriginal people and persons with mental and physical disabilities.

"We're asking governments to create and fund long-term, cost-shared rent supplement programs, to be delivered by provinces and territories (and municipalities in Ontario)," said Mr. Gazzard. Nearly 300 housing co-ops across Canada have passed resolutions in support of the campaign to protect the most vulnerable housing co-op members, and the list of resolutions keeps growing. With this urgent looming crisis, co-op members across Canada will engage with candidates about their support for a rent supplement program.

CHF Canada is the national voice of the Canadian co‑operative housing movement. Its members include over 900 non-profit housing co‑operatives and other organizations across Canada. More than a quarter of a million Canadians live in housing co‑ops, in every province and territory.